Connector systems, particularly substrates interfacing electrical connector systems, are often used as links between electronic devices, such as analytical or diagnostic equipment having an input interfacer, and an outside source of electric signals which are indicative of the state of a system under observation. These connector systems typically include a connector module having two connector sides. On one of the connector sides, the connector module is interfaced with the outside source; and on the second connector side, the connector module is interfaced with the analytical or diagnostic device processing the data.
Sophisticated systems implemented for achieving high speed data communication between the outside source of data and the device, comprise a plurality of modular connectors and a printed wiring board to which these modular connectors are plugged. The printed wiring board contains a plurality of circuits that are adapted to communicate the data from the outside source to the device which processes the data. Contact surfaces on the printed wiring board are typically interfaced with a substrate in the device which is further adapted to receive the communicated data from the outside source. This substrate may be yet another printed wiring board, printed circuit board, or other electrical receiving device which can interface with the contact surfaces on the printed wiring board in the connector.
In order to interface the contact surfaces of the printed wiring board in the connector to another substrate and to achieve a sufficient electrical contact, a sufficient force is required to hold the contact surfaces firmly against the substrate during operation of the device. Typically, the printed wiring boards are merely screwed or otherwise mated in connectors and brought into contact with the substrate which is permanently mated to the device, thereby pressing the contact surfaces to the substrate. However, this is frequently an unsatisfactory method of ensuring complete electrical contact.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,852 (assigned to The Whitaker Corporation, the assignor of the present invention) describes a substrate interfacing electrical connector system, having the ability to firmly mate the printed wiring board to a substrate in a device so that data can be bussed to the device through the connector with high reliability.
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, the connector 10 comprises a printed wiring board ("PWB") 11 adapted to receive connector elements 12 which communicate data from an outside source 13 (schematically shown) to a device 14 (schematically shown), a housing 15 for mounting the printed wiring board 11, and a securing barrel 16 interfaceable through the printed wiring board 11 and further matable to a mating surface 17 in the device 14 for accessing the printed wiring board 11 to a substrate 18, such that the printed wiring board 11 makes effective electrical contact with the substrate 18. Interlocking means 19 attached to the securing barrel 16 is provided for cinching the securing barrel 16 to a cooperable locking surface 20 in the device 14. Upon actuation by an actuating means 21, by cinching the interlocking means 19 to the cooperable surface 20 in the device 14, the securing barrel 16 will exert a sufficient force to hold the contact surfaces 22 which are provided on the first side 23 of the printed wiring board 11 to the corresponding contacts 24 of an interposer 25, which serves to facilitate a contact between the printed wiring board 11 and the substrate 18 in the device 14.
The interlocking means 13 is integrally formed on a distal end of the securing barrel 16 from the same material as the securing barrel 16 and interfaces to the cooperating surface 20 to cinch the interlocking means 19 and the securing barrel 16, and thus, the connector 10, to the device side connector 26, and thereby, to the device 14.
After the device side connector 26 and the connector 10 are placed in initial operative association by passing the distal end of the securing barrel 16 through an aligned opening in the interposer 25, system printed wiring board 27 and a bolster plate 28, the securing barrel 16 and the interlocking means 19 are rotated upon manual activation of a grippable knob 29 which causes the interlocking means 29 to cinch the securing barrel 16 to the cooperating locking surface 20. This secures the connector 10 to the device side connector 26.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a cooperable locking surface 20 is a hub having a key camming surface 30 that is adapted to cooperatively engage with the key elements of the interlocking means 19 upon rotation of securing barrel 16 during manual actuation of actuating means 21. When the securing barrel 16 forces key against the key cam surface 30, the securing barrel 16 then rotates key along the camming surface 30 to pull bearing carrier 31 and connector 10 down, thereby imparting sufficient force to bring the contact surfaces 22 of PWB 11 firmly against the interposer contacts 24. The bearing carrier arrangement can exert between 20 (for low contact count) and 200 pounds (for high contact count) of force to accomplish this result. In a connector arrangement having, for example, six hundred (or six hundred and fifty) positions, the bearing carrier exerts 150 pounds of force to bring the interposer contacts 24 and contact surfaces 22 together. In other applications different interposer contacts may be used and different numbers of contacts may be provided, thereby modifying the amount of force necessary for assured mating.
Thus, the contact surfaces 22 on PWB 11 are brought firmly and assuredly into flush contact with interposer contacts 24 so that adequate electrical contact is maintained through the connector and data signals can thereafter be bussed into the device in a reliable and efficient fashion.
However, a further improvement which would assure high mechanical advantages of the connector system of the U.S. Pat. No. 5,310,352, but that could be provided by a lower rotational torque and with no lubrication required, would be desirable.
The present invention is the further improvement of the above-described connector system.